About Me

Anthony Balducci, 52, studied journalism at Baruch College in Manhattan and earned a criminology degree at the University of Florida. His first book, a biography of film comedian Lloyd Hamilton, was published by McFarland in 2009. The Funny Parts, a book detailing the history of gags and routines, was published by McFarland in 2012.

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Friday, March 20, 2009

A Comedy Dynasty

Better Off Ted, a surreal new sitcom on ABC, is produced by Skip Beaudine, the grandson of comedy legend William Beaudine. William Beaudine, who worked in the film industry from 1909 to 1966, just happens to have been a director and golf buddy of Lloyd Hamilton.

Ah, yes, the human web. This person is tied to this person, who is tied to this person, who is tied to this person. Hamilton was in the movie Hollywood (1923) with Bess Flowers, who was in Here Comes the Groom (1951) with Patty McCormack, who was in Frost/Nixon (2008) with Kevin Bacon. I once showed up at Scarlett Johansson's house and tried to explain to her that I was a second cousin, but she went back into the house and called the police.

Hamilton, who used exploding ostrich eggs in a film, would most likely have enjoyed the debut episode of Better Off Ted, which featured an exploding pumpkin.